D-158 union approves tentative deal

HUNTLEY – District 158's teacher union approved a three-year contract Monday evening, after rejecting an eariler deal in September that prolonged negotiations into the late fall.

The contract now goes to the full district board for a vote Tuesday, where officials have already scheduled a special meeting solely for the measure. If the board endorses the contract, the agreement is ratified and officially ends months-long negotiations between the two sides.

Union officials were not releasing details about the agreement until the board ratified the deal. Last week, board members Dave Drzal and Kevin Gentry were confident that the tentative agreement reached in the early morning hours of Nov. 14 would be approved by both sides.

"This is definitely a fair contract for both the district, community and teachers," said Huntely Education Association co-President Julie McLaughlin.

McLaughlin was unsure of the total number of teachers present at the meeting. But she said that roughly 98 percent of the attending members endorsed the deal.